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Festivals & Ceremonies

Festivals and Ceremonies are a vital part of our school life and bring the entire community together to both witness the students in public performances and to participate in communal rituals, plays and celebrations. Many of our festivals are based on traditional holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving & Martin Luther King Jr. Day Assemblies), while others are specific to Waldorf pedagogy (The Festival of Lights, The Rose Ceremony, & Lantern Walks) and others focus on themes or members of our school community (The May Fair, The Holiday Fair, Earth Day, Grandparents & Special Friends Day, Day of the Dead/All Soul's Day, & Santa Lucia). Waldorf festivals are celebratory and focus on traditional markers of seasonal change (Winter Solstice, Harvest Festivals, & Spring Assembly) or significant values and virtues central to human development (The Festival of Michaelmas, Saint Nicholas Day, & Community Service Days).

12th graders tell the story of St. Michael's defeat of the dragon during our Michaelmas celebration. The entire school also undertakes a neighborhood clean up project with older students mentoring the younger ones.

One of our brave parents takes a turn at the limbo pole during May Fair, where Chicago performers and artists are invited to help us celebrate the spring.

Sack races on the beach are a favorite feature of our Spring Festival.

The 5th grade accompanies the May pole dancers during May Fair. Our students have many opportunities to share the fruits of the music program with the community.

The 2nd grade shares songs and homemade buns with the entire school for Santa Lucia day.

The 3rd grade proudly poses in front of the sukkah they constructed for Sukkot.

Teachers and parents celebrate the achievements of the graduating 8th grade class.

Rose Ceremony: At the start of the school year, the 12th grade welcomes each 1st grader to the lower school with the gift of a rose. These seniors maintain a relationship with their 1st grader throughout the year.

Rose Ceremony: At the close of the year, the 1st graders say goodbye to the seniors and send them off to their next adventure with a reciprocal gift of a rose. There is rarely a dry eye in the auditorium during this beautiful and moving ritual.

After a busy year of senior projects, service work, internships and mentoring, the ​12th graders have much to celebrate on graduation day.